Combination footboard mat and luggage carrier



G. W. LEHMANN COMBINATIUN FOOT BOARD MAT AND LUGGAGE CARRIER Aug. 31926.

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mlllmH Original Filed Mar 7h124ll 1924 a* Aug. 3 ,1926. 1,594,968 G. W.LEHMANN COMBINATION FOOT BOARD MAT AND LUGGAGE CARRIER Original FiledMarch 24. 1924 2 Sheets sheet 2 Qua/z5@ 947/. Sie/@mamy mmap PatentedAug. 3, 1926.

UNITED STATES GEORGE W. LEHMANN, 'OFMAYWOOIL ILLINOIS.

coMBrNATIoN roo'rBoAnnMA'r ANDLUGGAGE CARRIER.'

Application led March 24, 1924, Serial No. 701,535. Renewed November 9,1925.

This invention relates generally to automobile accessories andparticularly to attachments which may be used as a tootboard mat orscraper and as a luggage carrier.

The principal part of the device is a frame vor rack which is fastenedto the run ning board otl an automobile so that it may be supported inan upright position along the outer edge of the'running board and serve.as a luggage retainer. Vfhen the frame or rack is not being used as aluggage retaineigit may be swung so as to lie 'lat upon the runningboard and foot-board and serve inthe capacity of a mat or scraper.As'will be hereinafter seen, the novelty in the invention resides in themanner in whichthe 'frame or rack is fastened to the foot-board oi'f theautomobile.

` In further describing the invention, referenceuwill be hereinaftermade to the accompanying drawing, in which a preferred embodiment ofVthe invention is illustrated. In these drawings Figurel is a plan viewof a device constructed in accordance 'with the invention fastened uponthe foot-board of an automobile to serve as a matv or scraper Jfor thesame; Y Y' Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken' on the planeindicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevation, illustrating` the device in uprightposition on the footboard when used as a luggage retainer;

Figure 4 is anV enlarged plan View, partly broken away and in section,of one end of the device;

Figure 5 is an end view ofthe device in folded position;

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on the plane indicated by theline 6 6 of Fig. 4:; and

Figure 7 is a similar view taken on the plane indicated by the line 7-7of Fig. 3.

The most essential element in the combination of parts which constitutethe inven tion, is a trame or rack l. This is preferably ofsubstantially rectangular shape and by preference is made of skeleton orAopen formation, comprising an angle iron side bar 2, to the ends ofwhich are riveted or otherwise rigidly secured, the ends of asubstantially U-shaped bar, the intermediate portion 3 of which servesas the other side ofthe trame or rack, while its arms e serve as theends of the rack. The bars 2 and 3-4 shaped and connected as they are,form an open substantially rectangular-shaped frame. 'In this frame,there are trans# versely extending" rods "5 and longitudinally extendingbarsv6. The rods 5 are secured to the rbar 2 at one of their ends and tothe bar 3 at their other ends, and support the longitudinal bars 6,although. the ends of some or" these bars 6 are riveted or otherwiserigidly vsecured to the arms l constituting the ends of therectangular-shaped frame. Tubular members 5 are disposed upon the rods 5between the bars 2, 3 and 5 to serve as spacing elements. Y r

As shown in the drawings, the ends oli one of the sides of' the angleiron bar 2 are bent laterally to form ears 71 Pivoted at one of theirends to the ears 7 by means of suitable pivots 8 are angle iron bars 9.These bars 9` are adaptedto rest upon th'e :toot-board B of Vanautomobileand extend transversely across the foot-board. Oney of thesides of the bars 9 rests flat upon the foot-board vand is securedthereto by means of screws 10 or the like. The other `sides of the bars9 extend upwardly.

Vhen the bars 9 are secured to the footboard .in the manner shown in'the draw' ings, the frame or rack 1 will be located so that whenit isin upright position, it will extend 'along the outer edge of thefootboard and act in the capacity of a luggage retainer. When not beingused as a luggage retainer, the frame or raclr may be swung downwardly,to lie fiat upon the footboard and in such position, it will act in thecapacity of a mat or scraper.

In order to support the :trame or rack 1 in an upright position, braces11' are employed. These braces are secured at their ends to the bars 9and the ends of the frame or rack 1, and are connected at such pointsthat when -the frame lor rack 1 is in an upright position, they willtake a substantially diagonal or inclined position. By preference, oneof the ends of the braces 11 are secured to the rear ends of the bars 9,while the other ends of the braces 11 are lsecured to the ends of theframe or rack 1 adjacent the side which is remote from the bar 2.The'ends of the braces llare not rigidly secured to the bars 9 and theends of the frame 1, but the connections are piv- Otal connections andthe braces are made or composed of pivotally connected sections, so thatthey may be folded when the frame l is swung` downwardly to lie flatupon the foot-board.

The bar 2 is slightly longer than the frame 1, so that the bars 9 willbe slightly spaced from the ends of the frame when the frame is inlowered position. These spaces will be just suicient to accommodate thefolded sections of. the braces 1l, it being understood that the braces11 are disposed between the inner sides of the bars 9 and the outersides of the ends cf the frame l, and alsothat the sections of thebraces will be disposed between the bars 9 and the ends vof the frame lwhen the frame l is lowered to liefiat upon the running board B.

In order to frictionally hold the sections of the braces 11 inlongitudinally alined or unfolded positions, these sections are providedwith co-operating projections and depressions 12. One section of eachbrace is provided wit-h a depression and the other section of the braceis provided with a projection to fit in the depressions when the twosections are brought into alinement. By this means, the braces will beeffectively locked so as to support the frame l in upright position, butthe joints may be easily broken to permit the braces to be swungdownwardly.

If desired, the ends of the frame l may be provided with ears 13, whichextend over the folded sections of the braces 1l to prevent the sectionsfrom swinging upwardly when the frame l is in a horizontal position flatagainst. the running board.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, use and advantages of theinvention will be readily understood. lt is apparent that numerouschanges may be made to the device without departing' from the spirit andprinciple of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof,so that itis-to be understood that changes may be made without departingfrom the meaning and scope of the appended Claim.

l claim:

A combination foot-board matand luggage carrier for automobilescomprising a pair of bars adapted to be securedtransversely across thefoot-board of an automobile, a substantially rectangular frame havingthe ends of one ofits sides extended slightly beyond the ends of theframeA and pivoted to one of the ends of said bars, said frame beingadapted to extend either in an upright position and serve as a luggageretaining raclr or to lie flat upon the footbcard and serve as a mat forthe same, theV ends of said frame being disposed in substantiallyparallel relation to said bars in its lowered position, braces securedat one of their ends to said bars and at their other ends to the ends ofsaid frame to support said frame in its upright position, said bracesconsisting of pivotally connected sections which are foldable betweensaid bars and the ends of the frame when the latter is y Y Grenen w.LEHMANN.

